Welcome Adress by the Hosts
Welcome to the Euregio Summit, the forum where we overcome borders and harness the power of cooperation.
Parkstad Limburg, Gemeente Heerlen, the City of Aachen, Städteregion Aachen, Gemeente Vaals, and the German-speaking Community of Belgium form a unique agglomeration with almost 900,000 inhabitants. The area has a rich history and despite our borders, we share the same common identity.
In our region, where three countries converge, we recognise the need and potential for cross-border collaboration in various areas. In the realm of energy transition, facilitating cross-border energy exchange is imperative for realising sustainable solutions that move our region forward. It should make no difference whether sustainable energy is generated in Belgium, Germany or the Netherlands. Within our region, initiatives and concepts are emerging on how cities become climate-neutral in the foreseeable future.
As far as the circular economy is concerned, we want to position our region as a leader in the field of circular construction, with innovative partnerships such as the recently established "European Centre for Circular Construction and Transformation" in Heerlen setting the standard.
As a hub of knowledge, education is the key for future-orientated development.
With local universities and top-level research, we have an enormous potential at our disposal.
The attractiveness of our border region lies in its diversity of opportunities and offers. Our objective is to develop our region into a shared space where national borders have an minimal impact on daily life.
The Euregio Summit represents another significant step into this direction; we face challenges together and seize forthcoming opportunities.
We warmly invite you to actively engage and contribute to our beautiful border region. Together, we can forge a future where boundaries fade and cooperation thrives.
Yours
Sibylle Keupen Roel Wever
Mayor City of Aachen Mayor of Heerlen